Coil spring cutter



Oct. 12, 1954 R., E, WILLIAMS ETAL f con. SPRING CUTTER :s sheets-sheet i Filed Nov. 28. 1947 Oct. l2, 1954 R, E. WILLIAMS ETAL 2,691,416

COIL SPRING CUTTER Filed Nov. 28, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I j i293 Oct 12, 1954 R. E. WILLIAMS ETAL COIL SPRING CUTTER Filed Nov. '28, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 12, 1.954

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COIL SPRING CUTTER Ralph E. `Williams and Leon J. Nowak, Jr., Chicago, Ill., assgnors to Gardner Wire Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 28, 1947, SerialNo. 788,576

4 Claims. l

Our invention relates to improvements in cutters for coil springs andthe like and has for one object to provide a new and improved form of cutter whereby the length of spring to be cut may be measured, and cut without distortion, and whereby the spring after cutting will be anchored to prevent the parts flying through the air as the result of the cutting action.

Another purpose is to provide a cutter which is highly efficient in cutting other articles and other materials.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

Coil springs are made of stiff, hard wire, and it is usually of the utmost importance to beable to cut the spring accurately in length. Because of the hardness of the wire, lthe spring tends. when cut, to fly through the air, causing breakage and damage, and we propose, therefore, to associate with the cutter an accurate measuring device, and also to associate with the cutter means for anchoring both that part of the spring which is cut olf and the remaining part of the spring so that even when cut, the spring and spring parts will remain in the same general position assumed by them before the cutting action.

Preferably the knife and the abutment are both of carboloy or some similar exceedingly hard, inflexible material. So any substantial pressure on the side of the knife must be avoided,

as otherwise the knife will break or chip. The same is true with respect to the clearance between the knife and the abutment in the final position. The two must not quite touch, because if they do, they will chip. This explains the necessity of accurate adjustment of the clearance between blade and anvil. They must come almost to contact, else the wire will not be cut. They cannot touch, or else the tool will be damaged.

The slots through which the coil spring is passed to put it in position for cutting are elongated in the direction of movement of the member that applies the cutting force. Thus the spring is at all times free to have a sufficient amount of longitudinal movement to permit the blade to penetrate between the coils of the spring without the application of any lateral pressure on the blade. After the blade has penetrated between the spring coil, further movement of the tool applying the cutting force continues until the coiled wire itself is held between the cutting knife and the abutment or blade, at which time,

because of the toggle effect, maximum pressure is applied to cut-the wire, and this pressure is always in line with the direction of movement of the cutting elements so that any breaking or chipping or bending of the knife is avoided.

Our invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cutting device;

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section along the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail section on an enlarged scale showing the spring about to be cut;

Figure 6 is a section on a smaller scale along the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a detail on the same scale as Figure 5 showing the cut end of the spring;

Figure 8 is a plan view in part section showing a modied form of the mounting and adjustment of the blade in the guides, and also a modified form of scale Figure 9 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 8;

Figure l0 is a section along the line IiI-I of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a partial perspective view of a further modii'l-cation; and

Figure 12 is a section on the line I2--I2 of Figure 11.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

I is a cutting tool base. Mounted thereon are two opposed angle members 2, 3, the bases of the angle vbeing parallel to the base I, each angle having an upwardly extending flange 4, 5. 6 is a knife block held between the angle anges 4, 5, by a pin 1. The knife block has forwardly projecting a thin, vertical cutting tool or knife 8 terminating in a vertical, sharp cutting edge 9. This tool 8 is removably held in the knife block 6. Outside of the flanges 4, 5, also held by the pin I, are holding blades I0, II. These holding blades do not extend quite as far forward as does the knife 8.

I2, I3 are toggle members, the member I2 being pivoted at I4 between the ilanges 4, 5, the

Amembers I2 and I3 being pivoted together by a pin I5, the member I2 having a groove, the member I 3fa-tongue engaged -by the pin I5. I5 is an operating handle on the member I2. I'I is a block held by screws I8 to the outer end of the member I3, and I9 is ananvil face held by a screw 20 to 3 the member 'l overlying the end of the toggle member I3. This anvil face I9 is removable and narrower than the width of the member i3.

The flanges 4, 5 are immediately in front of the knife block 6 provided with elongated apertures 22 to admit a coiled spring to be cut. In alignment with these apertures 22 is a scale plate 23 mounted on one of the anges and extending laterally therefrom at right angles to the flanges 4, 5. This scale plate is provided with scale markings 24, 25 so that a spring may be laid upon them and the distance between the end of the spring and the point at which the spring is to be cut may be directly read from the scale markings.

The knife block shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 is adiustably mounted between the flanges 4 and 5. 39 is a threaded abutment plate anchored between the flanges 4 and 5 on the base sc as to be held against any displacement. 3l is a screw threaded in the block 30. It engages a knife block 32. 33 is a bolt extending through the flanges 4 and 5, these ilanges having elliptical apertures 3d to permit lateral movement of the bolt. 35 is a nut threaded on the bolt, adapted to exert tension to grip the block 32 between the flanges 4 and 5. St is a knife held in a slot 3l in the knife block by means of a set screw 38. The end of the screw 3l nts into a socket 39 at the rear end of the knife block, so that when the nut 35 is released the screw 3! may be adjusted to micrometrically adjust the position of the knife and knife block with respect to the forward excursion of the anvil i9.

In Figures 8, 9 and l0 also is shown a modied form of measuring scale. It includes an angle member 49 pivoted at 4| on the base li, having an angular scale member 42 mounted thereon by screws 133 so that the scale may be swung laterally into alignment with the cutter for storage, and may be rotated into the position shown in Figures 8, 9 and l0 for use. 44 is an aperture in the base I through which chips may drop out. Figure 8 shows in dotted lines the position assumed by the scale l2 and support 40 when not in use.

In the form of Figures ll and l2 we obtain the further advantage that the ruler 10G moves in unison with the toggle Mil. Thus the work and the ruler may move in unison, and the user iinds it easy to maintain a proper and accurate position of cut. Since the ruler goes forward with the work, the spring is being accurately measured up to the instant at which it is cut. We obtain the above result by providing an outward extension |03 of the toggle, the ruler being pivoted as at 104, so that it can readily be swung back into position over the base for convenience in packing and storing.

The use and operation of our invention are as follows:

The spring from which a length is to be cut is inserted through the apertures 22 and moved forward between the knife block t and the anvil i9 until the desired length to be cut is read ci? on the scales 24 and 25. The block il and anvil i9 which will normally be in the position generally shown in Figure 2 rather than in the position shown in Figure 1, which latter is provided primarily for the purpose of illustration only, willv then be moved 'toward the knife block t by pressure applied to the handle it. rIhis results first in causing the cutting blade 8 to penetrate between two of the spring coils as indicated in Figure 3, At the saine time as the spring is moved by the movement of the toggle members il, i3 to the left in Figure 3, the blades l and il will also penetrate between the coils and so the spring will be anchored on both sides of the i'langes 4 and 5. Further downward movement of the lever I6 will cause the toggle to exert an increased pressure sufficient to force the member i9 toward the blade, thus forcing the spring against the cutting member 8 to cut the wire and so cut the spring. When this takes place, the spring will still be held anchored by the blades IU and Il so there is no explosive leap of the spring from the point of cut-off. The raising of the lever IB permits disengagement of the cut-off portion of the spring from the blade H and the residual portion of the spring from the blade Hl, when both parts of the spring may be withdrawn from the cutter.

Because the scale markings 24 and 25 extend across the scale bed 23, the operator is able by observation to determine that he has properly positioned the spring for cutting to the suitable length right down to the time when the spring is about to be cut, thus avoiding the danger of cutting a spring of improper length.

An important application of our device is to out materials, other than metal, which may be dicult to cut or resistant to ordinary cutters. For example, our cutter cuts tubing or" rubber or rubber substitutes or softer plastics, with or without reinforcing of wire, and textiles or other material. It is also an efficient cutter of plain wire of various gauges and hardness.

It will be realized that whereas we have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in size, shape, number and dispositions of parts without departing from the spirit of our invention. 'vVe therefore wish our showing to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting us to the structures speciiically described and shown herein` For example, we wish it understood that we may employ an anvil on one relatively movable member, and a blade on the other. It is immaterial whether the anvil is on the moving or on the fixed part of the device. Or both may be movably mounted for movement toward and away from each other. Under some circumstances, instead of having an extended or smooth-surfaced anvil, we may employ a pair of opposed cutting blades. It is advantageous, however, to employ a plane-surfaced or a smoothsurfaced anvil. Whereas the anvil has been shown as plane surfaced, it will be understood that a smooth surface may be employed which is not strictly plane. A smooth-surfaced anvil has as one advantage the fact that it permits the work, such as the coil spring, to take a natural position in relation to the blade, as the blade penetrates between adjacent coils of a coil spring. It will therefore be understood that we do not wish our claims to be limited except so far as they are specifically limited in their language` Whereas in the claims we describe forcing the blade and the abutment surface together to cut the wire, it will be understood that we do not wish to have the Word together interpreted as necessitating actual contact of the opposed blade and abutment.

It will also be understood that it is optional whether we employ a removable anvil or abutment, or one which is not removable or replaceable, In general, however, we find it advantageous to employ a removable and renewable anvil, as shown at i9 in Figure 2.

"-.Yhen our tool is used for cutting rubberv or resilient tubing, an advantage is that the tubing is initially compressed, along the length of the entire cut, and is then severed. This produces a straight cut, in contrast to the action obtained by a pair of shears, where only a small portion is compressed at a time.

We claim:

1. A coil-spring-cutting means including a plurality of blades adapted to penetrate between the coils of a spring, one of the blades extending further toward the coil than the other, an anvil having a face in opposition to the blade which extends furthest toward the coil spring, means for forcing such blade and such anvil together to cut the wire forming the coil.

2. A coil-spring-cutting means including a plurality of blades adapted to penetrate between the coils of a spring, one of the blades extending further toward the coil than the other, an anvil face in opposition to the blade which extends furthest toward the coil spring, means for forcing such blade and such anvil together to cut the wire forming the coil, apertured members through which the coil to be cut may be passed, said apertured members being in immediate juxtaposition to the shorter blade.

3. Severing means for coil springs and the like, including a cutting blade adapted to penetrate between the coils of the spring, said cutting blade having a terminal and generally parallel side faces which, for a distance from the cutting edge at least equaling the diameter of the spring to be cut, are separated by a thickness of metal insufficient damagingly to distort the spring, an abutment member in opposition to the blade, means for forcing the blade and the abutment member together to cause the blade to penetrate between the coils of the spring, engage one of the coils beyond such penetration, and cut the coil against the abutment member to sever 6 the coil, a keeper blade parallel with the blade but terminating short thereof, said keeper blade being adapted to penetrate between adjacent coils of the spring at a point removed from the point of severing so that after the spring is severed, the keeper blade holds the spring in place.

4. Severing means for coil springs and the like, including a cutting blade adapted to penetrate between the coils of the spring, anabutment member in opposition to the blade, means for forcing the blade and the abutment member together to cause the blade to penetrate between the coils of the spring, engage one of the coils beyond such penetration, and cut the coil against the abutment member to sevei' the coil, longitudinal guide means enclosing the blade and the abutment member, the guide means being longitudinally slotted, whereby the coil spring may be positioned between the blade and abutment member as it passes through the slots, keeper blades parallel with the cutting blade, one associated with each guide on the side thereof opposed to the cutting blade, the keeper blades being adapted to penetrate between coils of the spring spaced from the coil engaged by the cutting blade when the cutting blade and the abutment member are brought together to engage and sever the spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 71,029 Kents NOV. 19, 1867 159,714 Smith Feb. 9, 1875 212,426 Baron Feb. 18, 1879 407,861 Hamilton July 30, 1889 1,114,754 Hansen Oct. 27, 1914 1,241,728 Grandchamp Oct. 2, 1917 1,756,955 Rife May 6, 1930 1,975,155 Keller Oct. 2, 1934 2,293,721 Engler Aug. 25, 1942 

